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High Emotional Intelligence Helps People Recognize Fake News
Study Finds ^ | John Anderer

Posted on 03/15/2021 6:59:29 PM PDT by nickcarraway

Misinformation and fake news continue to be a major problem across social media platforms. Now, a new study reports people with high emotional intelligence are much less likely to fall for deceptive and untrue news items.

Conducted at the University of Strathclyde, the study asked a group of volunteers to take a look at various social media news stories, some true and some false. The group then tried to determine which were real and which were fictitious. Each participant also gave a short explanation as to their fact-checking thought process and filled out a test to gauge their emotional intelligence.

The news stories presented to participants covered a variety of topics, including health, the environment, crime, and wealth inequality. The fake headlines in particular featured a lack of trusted sources, not a lot of information in general, and emotive language.

What do different people say about fake news? Ultimately, participants scoring high on the emotional intelligence test were most likely to accurately pick out fake news items. Study authors also noted a similar relationship between education level and fake news detecting ability. In other words, participants with more education appear to have a better eye for spotting fake news.

🔇X “Fake news on social media is now a matter of considerable public and governmental concern. Research on dealing with this issue is still in its infancy but recent studies have started to focus on the psychological factors which might make some individuals less susceptible to fake news,” says Dr. Tony Anderson, Senior Teaching Fellow in Psychology at Strathclyde, in a university release.

“We assessed whether people were better able to disregard the emotionally charged content of such items and better equipped to assess the veracity of the information. We found that, while distinguishing real news content from fake was challenging, on average participants were more likely to make the correct decision than not,” the researcher adds. “Previous research has shown that people can be trained to enhance their own EQ levels. This should help them to discern with a greater degree of accuracy which news is reliable and which is misleading.”

Study authors also included some quotes from participants. Some statements made by those who fell for fake news items include “the commenter on the post has the same thoughts as me” and “my kids are in this position so I completely get this.”

Meanwhile, subjects who correctly identified fake news told researchers “comes across as more of a rant” and “fearmongering article with no data.”

The study is published in PLOS ONE.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: anotherstudy; antipope; cnn; donlemon; fakenews; homosexualagenda; media; news; plosone; popefrancis; romancatholicism; tropes
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1 posted on 03/15/2021 6:59:29 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

WTF is “emotional intelligence?”


2 posted on 03/15/2021 7:01:02 PM PDT by from occupied ga (Your government is your most dangerous enemy)
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To: nickcarraway

I must have exceptional EQ then ;D.


3 posted on 03/15/2021 7:01:18 PM PDT by GOP Poet (Super cool you can change your tag line EVERYTIME you post!! :D. (Small things make me happy))
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To: nickcarraway

I guess I have it then. All it takes is a tiny bit of education, not emotions needed. Simply educate yourself.


4 posted on 03/15/2021 7:02:32 PM PDT by vpintheak (Live free, or die!)
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To: nickcarraway

Emotional intelligence? Or is that another way of describing mental health? I tend to find those who believe what their politically-biased TV is telling them are easily lied to because they prefer to be. They are also lying to themselves.


5 posted on 03/15/2021 7:04:00 PM PDT by Telepathic Intruder
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To: from occupied ga

I would say it is the ability to detach from emotion and use logic, but I was wrong once.


6 posted on 03/15/2021 7:05:53 PM PDT by Fester Chugabrew (No audit. No peace.)
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To: from occupied ga

It’s like a participation award, for those who lost the IQ race.


7 posted on 03/15/2021 7:07:23 PM PDT by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: nickcarraway

Emotional intelligence=lack of emotional control often leading to pearl clutching.


8 posted on 03/15/2021 7:08:28 PM PDT by Rebelbase
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To: nickcarraway

Meanwhile, subjects who correctly identified fake news told researchers “comes across as more of a rant” and “fearmongering article with no data.”


9 posted on 03/15/2021 7:12:11 PM PDT by Grampa Dave ("The Covid 19 Circus has run out of acts. It’s time to reopen. It is past time! It’s long overdue! ")
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To: nickcarraway

So, critical thinking skills are passe, and probably racist.

Better to be an emotional thinker; back in the day they used to call this ‘hysterical’.

The Furies are on the loose.


10 posted on 03/15/2021 7:13:14 PM PDT by bakeneko
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To: Fester Chugabrew

I think you’re probably right; but I don’t think there’s any definitive ‘test’ to measure it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence


11 posted on 03/15/2021 7:14:26 PM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: nickcarraway

>> In other words, participants with more education appear to have a better eye for spotting fake news.

They why do Ivy League graduates fall for Communism and militant Leftism?


12 posted on 03/15/2021 7:26:11 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (Lean on Joe Biden to follow Donald Trump's example and donate his annual salary to charity. )
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To: nickcarraway

This article seems to fit the category of “fake news”, by its own criteria. What are “trusted sources”? Trusted by whom? Why is an emotionally-charged report necessarily “fake”? I recall a lot of factual, but emotionally-charged reports during 9/11. And I’ve heard and read many obvious untruths presented with a tone of objectivity and authority.

What is this quality referred to as “emotional intelligence”, which a person can be “trained to enhance”? Apparently this sort of “intelligence” is not an aptitude, but something that is learned. What makes it “intelligent”?


13 posted on 03/15/2021 7:29:35 PM PDT by rightwingcrazy (;-,)
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To: from occupied ga

>> WTF is “emotional intelligence?”

LOL — same thoughts


14 posted on 03/15/2021 7:31:43 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: nickcarraway
>>Fig 1. Shows an example of a real news item on the left and a fake news item on the right.

They erroneous call real news about the fake man-made global climate scare “fake news”

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0246757

15 posted on 03/15/2021 7:32:10 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (Lean on Joe Biden to follow Donald Trump's example and donate his annual salary to charity. )
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To: a fool in paradise

In most majors, they are far more brainwashed than educated, and it began in prep school.


16 posted on 03/15/2021 7:32:30 PM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: nickcarraway

This article is complete BS and who ever posted should not be allowed to post any more articles.


17 posted on 03/15/2021 7:37:20 PM PDT by jpsb
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To: from occupied ga
WTF is “emotional intelligence?”

Its a neutral way of saying female.
This should have had a Barf Alert!
18 posted on 03/15/2021 7:40:13 PM PDT by 100%FEDUP (I'm seeing RED!)
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To: nickcarraway

Well if those stories are authored by the MSM then there is no thinking required. They are fake news.


19 posted on 03/15/2021 7:50:46 PM PDT by Revel
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To: nickcarraway

My emotional intelligence is for shit. Probably around 88 (where 100 is average).
OTOH - i can spot fake news miles away.


20 posted on 03/15/2021 7:57:11 PM PDT by Honest Nigerian
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